We spend the whole night on the road. I try to sleep, but I'm cold and too nervous, constantly thinking about what I am going to tell Declan. And about how he will react. Will he forgive me? What if he has already moved on?
Once the sun is out, we stop to stretch our legs, eat something and take care of the horses. My mother and the Rices had thought of everything.
"We are getting close, my lady" James says after we stop for lunch.
"That noise is the sea, isn't it?" I ask him. I visited the beach a couple of times as a kid, and I still remember the sound.
"It is. And that over there" he says pointing at something behind me, "it's a very nasty storm. We should hurry."
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It's so dark outside, that I can barely see my hands inside the carriage. The wind is making it shake, water is already leaking inside.
"We are almost there, my lady. I can see the lights of the house" James shouts before a very loud thunder silences everything.
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When I make it to the Mounts' house, I'm completely drenched and out of breath, but I still find some strength to knock on the big door. Nothing, no answer. What if they aren't home? The holidays are around the corner and they may have gone somewhere...
I knock again, this time for longer. Nothing. But when I am about to start kicking the door, a butler opens it.
"How may I help you?" he says as he looks at me from head to toe.
"I'm looking for Lord Rice" I say.
"I'm afraid he isn't in the house today, miss..."
"What about Lord Mount" I cut him. "I need help, please."
"We don't give money to beggars or offer them a roof. You should go to the church in town for that" he says with a disgusted look.
"I'm not a beggar, I'm Lord Rice's friend" I say, starting to get angry. "Please ask for Lord Mount, he'll know who I am. It's urgent."
"I'm sorry miss, but I can't do anything for you" the butler says. As he is about to close the door, a woman shows up behind him.
"Walter, what is going on? Who is this?" she asks.
"Just a beggar, my lady."
"I'm not a beggar, you idiot!" I yell at him. "I'm friends with Lord Rice, and I need his help. The life of my carriage rider's may be in danger, and if you let me stay here in the rain for longer, so will be mine!"
"Let her in, Walter" the lady says.
"What are you two doing at the door?" a male voice says behind them. "I can feel the cold everywhere, and I don't like it."
"This woman says she's friends with Declan and that she needs his help" the lady tells him while he gives me a scrutinizing look.
"Please excuse me if I'm wrong and I'm being impertinent, but you are Lord Mount, aren't you? Count Mason Mount, though you don't like it because of the rhyme. And your friends call you Mase" I say.
"That's me, yes. How do you know all that?" he asks.
"Because I'm Declan's friend, from his hometown. You are probably tired of hearing him talk about me, especially during the last few weeks." Or that's what I hope, that he hasn't forgotten about me that easily.
"You are the famous little poppy?" he says with a smile.
"I am, yes" I say, letting out a sigh of relief.
"She may be lying, my lord" the butler says. "Anyone could know that."
"Oh, please, shut up" I spat, too tired of his impertinence, Lord Mount and the woman I suppose is his future wife, trying not to laugh.
"The woman Dec has told me about would have said something like that. But just to be sure, tell me something about him only you and I could know" he says.
"I..." My mind goes completely blank. I'm starting to get cold, everything in my body hurts, and my clothes are soaking wet. My wet clothes. That day at the cottage. "He has kind of a big mole on the left side of his chest, under his nipple more or less" I say, the butler letting out a gasp of outrage. "And he also has a few more on his right thigh. And... "
"Alright, alright, that's enough" Lord Mount says, still smiling but definitely feeling a bit uncomfortable. "I believe you, my lady. Please come sit next to the fire and tell us what happened. Walter, bring her a blanket and something warm to drink."
The man just stays there, his face completely red.
"Walter, didn't you hear what Lord Mount said?" the lady says to him.
"Yes, my lady" he says as he leaves, murmuring in disapproval.
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"The horses were already scared and nervous because of the thunder and lightning, and when they had to cross the stream that the rain had made on the road, they went completely crazy" I explain to Lord Mount and his fiancée. "James tried to keep them still, but it was impossible. One of them broke free, and the other manage to knock down the carriage, making James fall and trapping him under it. I was able to get out, but I couldn't help him. From where we were we could see the lights of the house, so he asked me to run here and ask for help."
"Do you know if he was badly injured?" Lord Mount asks.
"Only his legs were under the carriage, so he may have some broken bones" I say.
"I'll call for some of the men and go look for him" he says. "My love, stay here with the lady. Make sure she eats something, and find her some new clothes."
"I'll take care of everything while you go and help that man, don't worry. But promise be you will be careful" she says.
"I will" he says, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.
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If you haven't met Lord Mount yet and want to know more about his story, check "The Lord in Blue" on my profile 😉
JE LEEST
Little Poppy
Romantiek♚ Period drama ♚ Summary: "My family and the Rice's have been enemies since forever, and it all started because a Rice ancestor married the woman my ancestor was supposed to marry. The thing is though, that over the years, some members of both fami...
